To raise a youkai
by Raven-Pen
Summary: Sesshomaru comes upon a dead body only to realize it was the miko, Kagome. He revives her but is surprised to find she has not only adopted a kitsune but is also raising an inu-youkai babe. Whose child is it and why is the Miko alone? R & R! No flames!
1. Discovery of the Miko

Inuyasha does not belong to me, sadly…but I'll happily take credit for this story! ^_^

Chapter One: Discovery of the Miko

She ran, clutching the bundle to her chest, her breaths coming in short bursts as it tried to escape her constricted throat. It was tight with fear and anxiety, dry and burning with each gasp. She heard the sound of water and sped towards it, hope sparking a little in her heart.

Howls screeched into the quietness of night, and her stomach twisted sickly. The sounds made her pale throat constrict with fear. She heard no sound from the shaking kit in her arms.

Bursting through the last of the trees, she came upon the river and its lazy form. It drifted on, unaware of the chaos unfolding around it. She stopped, her lungs greedily sucking in the dew-damp air. Another call rang through the air and she spun around, her eyes searching frantically. Turning back towards the river, she steeled herself and jumped, landing on a slippery but flat boulder. They were scattered throughout the river as if a great landslide had run through it, leaving remains in it's wake. She prayed she could get across the river in time, before they reached her. Just as she was making ready to leap to the next, a figure landed in front of her, blocking her escape. Panicking, she turned to her left and ran across stones and boulders heading downriver. She could hear them behind her, following her at a teasing pace. They could have had her by now; they were toying with her. She reached the edge, the water lapping at her feet, threatening to pull her in. She looked over her shoulder and saw them there, waiting. They thought she would give up, that she would surrender to them and go with them rather than die. They were wrong. She turned to them, stepping backwards, farther towards the edge. With a last lingering smile, she leapt over it.

He sighed, staring at the fullness of the moon. It had been such a dull evening, he had encountered nothing on his patrols and tomorrow would likely be the same. Stretching his legs out on the branch he leaned his head back against the smooth bark, the smell of the tree invading his senses momentarily. Crickets chirped their nightly song, and a far-off owl could be heard catching his prey. The poor mouse didn't stand a chance against such a predator.

Howls rent through his peaceful rest and he turned to the south, where he could sense them coming at an alarming speed. The wolves were on the hunt. He shook his head, once again disinterested. Poor mouse. But it was none of his concern.

Or so he would have liked to think. It took him a moment to realize that the prey was human, and while he would have liked to think that they were giving chase for good reason, he knew better. Had it not been wolves that had massacred his ward?

He focused on where he could sense the human and narrowed his eyes. He could see a figure emerging from the woods, and could sense their panic. It looked as if they carried a bundle in their arms, or were simply nursing a wound. She (for what male could have such a slender frame?) turned in his direction and began running along the stones pocking the river bed as her enemies neared her. He could see how they toyed with their prey, keeping their distance and yet near enough to keep her from escaping. The woman stopped; they had her cornered at the edge of the waterfall.

He watched as she turned, seeming about to give in. But just as he thought this, she jumped backwards off of the edge. Time seemed to slow and he watched as her hair and clothing billowed about her, her raven hair spreading like wings. It was such a lovely, bittersweet moment with the light of the full moon glinting off of her falling figure. If he had been an artist, he would have toiled for years to catch such a moment on canvas.

The hunters soon gave up on the falling creature, turning away from the falls. No good sport could be had with what would be left of her, if they found her at all.

He sighed for the second time that night, intent on resting till' the sunrise. The sounds of animals began to stir again. They had disappeared as soon as they heard the wolves' cries, but now they came out of hiding, going back about their business.

He began to drift off, his mind lulling into a dreamless state when he heard a high keening. At first he thought that he'd imagined it, but then it returned, albeit muffled and quieter. Despite as much as he would have liked to, he could not simply ignore the sound and continue sleeping. As Lord of these lands it was his duty.

He jumped from the tree, landing agilely on his feet and began to head down the slope towards the stream. The sound became louder, and more desperate; perhaps he would put the creature out of it's misery.

He came to where the falls became a quiet, placid stream and found the source of the noise. Near the edge of the water, among the smooth rocks and boulders, lay the body. Her head lay on a stone, her neck at an odd angle with her body which laid limply in the shallows. She was on her side, and while one arm was waving uselessly in the waters, her other was still wrapped around a bundle. Probably stolen goods from the wolves. A kitsune kit was huddled next to her in the water, sobbing. He kept patting her, as if hoping she would simply wake up from her slumber. He nuzzled into her, burrowing himself under her free arm, trying to get closer to her.

He ignored the kit, looking at her face instead. She looked somewhat familiar to him. Her blue eyes were open; half-lidded and dull. Not a single spark of life shone in them. Blood was trickling out of her parted lips, out the corner and lazily making its way to the pebbles below. The beautiful raven hair which before had seemed like wings to him now looked like a dark curtain, spreading into the water around her, mingling with the blood which must have now been pouring from a crack in her skull. Foolish mouse.

He sniffed, smelling the stench of death and the sweet metallic scent of blood mingling with the freshness of the water. She was surely dead. He turned, choosing to simply ignore the kit, when he smelled something else. His eyes narrowed suspiciously. They couldn't possibly be back. No. It wasn't them.

He took a few steps nearer, curious now as to what the bundle in her arms actually was. The kit didn't seem to notice him at first, and simply cried into the dead woman's arms. He stepped nearer, silent. The kit rounded on him, blood red eyes glaring at him as he turned towards the intruder. Had some predator come now to further desecrate her body? Recognition shone in the kit's eyes and while he was still frightened, he let the other come near. In fact, he simply cuddled back into the corpse's arms, mumbling all the while.

"…gome…," he heard him sob. "Kagome, come back…Don't leave me…"

Ah, so it was the miko wench. He stood shocked for a moment, contemplating. She did not seem like the sort of human woman to steal, especially from a wolf tribe. He knew she could not be that foolish. And so in all good reason, as lord of the lands, it was his duty to right the wrongs. Even if it meant meddling in his brother's affairs. Indeed, he would probably enjoy messing with the half-breed.

He knelt next to the body in the water, pulling a piece of fabric from the top of the bundle away. Shock hit him like a ton of bricks; Big golden eyes stared up at him. A demon child? He sat back on a flat stone, staring at the creature that now began to cry as well once it realized that something was wrong with it's human. He sat and thought for a moment, coming to a decision. It would also be wrong to leave two demon children unattended, without anyone to care for them, would it not? Sure that he was going to regret it later, he sighed in annoyance. Humans and their stupidity.

He stood, pulling the kitsune from the arms of the woman by the scruff of his neck and setting him on the grass nearby. He also plucked the babe from her arms, placing it in the kit's hold.

"What are you doing?!" cried the kit.

"Silence." He drew his sword and held it above the body, waiting as he watched the soul snatchers trying to chain her soul. He swung the blade down on her body smoothly, dispelling the creatures and sheathed his sword once again, ignoring the kit's cries of despair.

"What have you done?!" he cried, hopping back and forth on his hind feet. He looked ready to attack him, his eyes turning once more to a blood red, the babe on the grass beside him. But then he stopped, sniffing the air.

"Kagome!" He launched his tiny body at the woman, but was caught in midair.

"Enough. She is broken and while I have returned her soul to her body, she is still in great pain." The kit stared forlornly at the miko who had yet to show any sign of life.

"Tend to the pup. I will tend to your miko." Kneeling down, he scooped her up out of the cold water and walked into the forest, knowing the kit would follow as best as he could.

After making a fire, he shed her of her clothing caring little for modesty, hanging them to dry near the fire and dressed her wounds, setting the bones in her legs. They would take time to heal. She also had numerous broken ribs to add to the mix. This miko was in for a world of pain once she woke; he wasn't sure if she would thank him or curse him for bringing her back.

He stripped off his outer haori and wrapped it around her fragile form, laying her near the warmth of the fire. All the while the kitsune watched, sometimes flinching away when he heard the cracking of bones or heard her moan in pain in her sleep. The pup had long since fallen asleep and was simply snuggling into the kitsune as he watched, oblivious to all that happened around it.

"You may rest now, kit. Hand me the pup." He eyed him warily before handing the babe over and settling on the ground beside him, curling into a tight ball.

Holding the pup in his arm, he stood guard through the night underneath a tall oak.

The first thing she felt was an overwhelming sense of pain, like a fire raging just beneath her skin. She couldn't think beyond how much pain she was in. It steadily grew worse and she couldn't help but cry out. She vaguely felt a hand behind her neck, lifting up her head and pouring a cool liquid down her throat. The fires were quenched, though she knew is was only momentarily.

She forced her eyes open, ignoring the beams of light that shone through the canopy of leaves. Her entire body ached and it took every fiber of her will to turn her head. Where was the child? And Shippo? Panic rose in her and she fought to sit up, the shooting pain returning ten fold. A hand pushed her back down to the ground and she cried out in agony.

"Stay down, miko. Do not be foolish." Sesshomaru looked down on her, his expression as stoic as ever.

"Sessh- What are you doing here?" She gasped with the effort it put on her chest to speak.

"Doing as I wish," was his simple reply.

"How did I-"

"Ask your questions later. There will be time."

"Where is she?"

"Who is it that you speak of?"

"The child," she forced out through her teeth. "Where is she?" Tears streamed down her face in her pain and panic, her breaths coming in gasps as if she was being chased yet again. "Shippo!"

"Kagome!" She heard his voice coming nearer and once he was close enough her arm shot out, pulling him to her as she sobbed in relief. "Thank the kamis!" Shippo buried himself in her arms, burrowing into her warmth.

"Miko, you will harm yourself further if you continue like this. This Sesshomaru does not wish to reset your bones a second time."

She turned towards him, glaring slightly as she winced at the pain.

"This Miko doesn't care," she tried her best to smirk. "I will not let him go again."

She watched as his eyebrows raised minutely, in surprise.

"It was very foolish of you to jump, when you were carrying such tender cargo." He reached into his haori and pulled the sleeping child from within it's folds where it had been kept warm. She had not even noticed it before then.

Her eyes were wide in amazement at first and then she reached for the pup, her lips quivering. Once he was sure that she had a good hold of it, he released it to her and watched as she gently cradled the pup close to her, all the while whispering apologies to it.

"I'm so sorry my pup, I swear I won't let anything harm you. I'm so sorry." Eventually, whether from exhaustion or from pain, she fell asleep cuddling her little ones close to her.

"Sesshomaru-sama! Rin is so glad to see you!" He froze in place, waiting for the child to catch up to him. Just as he expected she wrapped her arms around his leg, hugging him as best as she could.

"Did my lord catch us fish for dinner? Rin is starving!"

"These fish are for another, Rin. I will catch more after I am finished with these."

She skipped as she followed him and he shortened his stride so that she may follow easier.

"For another? Who?"

"The Miko who travels with my half-brother was injured."

"Kagome-chan?! Is she all right?"

"She died," was his blunt reply. He did not think of how Rin would take such a statement, and honestly did not expect her to burst into tears as she now was doing.

He turned, and stared at her blankly as she huddled around her knees, her hair covering her face as she sobbed. How could the child be so attached to a human that she barely knew? She'd scarcely seen her above ten times, surely if even that many.

"Rin." She did not move. "Rin, stand." Eventually, she pulled herself up from her crouch, though she still covered her face. He walked to her and placed a hand on her head.

"The miko will be fine." A sniffle was his reply. "I've revived her, and she has been recovering for several days now." Hopeful brown eyes stared up at him.

"She's alive?" He nodded. "May Rin go pick flowers for Kagome-chan?"

"Take Jaken with you." She turned and ran towards Ah-un and Jaken, giggling the entire way.

"Jaken, Sesshomaru-sama says you get to pick flowers with me!" He could hear Jaken's moaning and complaints but ignored it as he returned to the camp.

The miko was sitting up, leaning against a tree stump near the still crackling fire. It was fall now, nearly winter, and so even in the day its warmth was welcome. She held the pup in her arms and was cooing to it, rubbing her petite nose on its cheeks. He vaguely wondered if she knew how much like a youkai she was behaving. He, of course, would not mention it.

She looked up as he neared, a large smile still on her face. She bounced the babe in her arms, careful to avoid her legs or chest. After all, she was still healing.

"Was that Rin-chan I heard?"

Shippo's head popped up from his place beside her.

"Rin-chan! Is she here, Sesshomaru-sama?"

"Hai. She has gone to pick flowers with Jaken."

"Haha-ue, can I go with Rin-chan?" He looked up at her hopefully, begging to go.

"Yes, but stay near Jaken and Ah-Un, okay?"

He was already bounding away towards the field.

"Yes Haha-ue!" She shook her head fondly as she buried her face in the pup's mass of black curls.

"Why do you smell so good, Haru-chan?" she mumbled.

"Haru-chan?" He asked quietly as he cleaned the fish.

She laid her cheek on the pup's head gently, rocking back and forth.

"Hai. Haruhi." He nodded, approving of the name. It suited the babe.

He listened to her talk to Haru as he prepared the food, unconsciously tuning in to everything she said. He almost found himself chuckling at the way that she sounded, but he didn't of course.

"Kagome-chan!" Rin cried as she ran to them, one hand holding Shippo's, the other holding a large bouquet of wild flowers.

"Look at what we brought you, Haha-ue!" The children sat at her side, showing her their offerings of affection.

"Rin has brought you a lot of flowers!"

"Thank you Rin-chan!" She bent her head to smell them. "They're lovely."

"I made you a crown, Haha-ue!" The kit held up his chain of daisies and had to hop to place it on her head. She swooped down and nuzzled his cheek.

"Thank you Shippo, I love it," She giggled.

"And I brought a flower for Haru-chan too!" He brushed the flower by Haru's nose, watching as she giggled and sneezed. She grabbed at the flower but Shippo pulled it away so that she wouldn't crush it.

"No, no, Haru-chan!" he scolded.

Kagome took it from him and put it behind Haru's ear, tickling her afterwards. They all laughed at Haru's gurgles and giggles.

Sesshomaru felt slightly out of place with them all, watching as they behaved as a happy family while he sat in the distance and watched; the observer. As irony would have it, that always seemed to be his place.

Kagome hissed in pain and Sesshomaru immediately turned to them, wondering what could have caused it.

"Sesshomaru-sama, would you please come take Haru?" He stood from his place minding the fish and knelt next to her, holding his arm out for the babe. The children had backed away from her, giving her space when they realized she was in pain.

Looking to her side, he noticed her untouched cup of tea.

"You have not taken your tonic yet this morning." She snorted at him, rolling her eyes.

"The stuff is foul."

"It would help you. You wouldn't be in pain now if you'd taken it."

She grimaced as she laid herself down onto her makeshift bed.

"Either way I'm going to be in pain. My legs are broken, in case you've forgotten."

He watched her as she closed her eyes, tuning out anything else that he may have said. Mindful of Haru, he stood and returned to the fire, using his outer haori as a sling to carry her. Shippo was turning the fish, asking frequently if he was doing an okay job. It surprised Sesshomaru how quickly the kit seemed to get over any fear of him. The miko as well. It seemed to him that she was now treating him almost as she treated his brother. He expected to be angry once he realized this, but he took it in stride, convincing himself that it was because she was injured that he ignored her complete lack of manners for his station. She would not treat him so for long, he would not allow it. But for now he could forgive her temporary insanity.

The setting sun was nearly gone in the evening sky, the shades of red and orange nearly extinguished. The children had been frolicking in the nearby fields with Ah-Un and an unhappy Jaken, while he and Kagome stayed near the fire. Neither spoke. They simply sat in silence, one staring at the sky, the other staring at the ground and the fire upon it.

He found himself wondering how this all had come to be. Why did he help a human when he felt nothing but disdain for them? Perhaps it was because he knew her. Or rather, he knew of her. She was his brother's wench, his shard-detector and the reason that he could wield the Tetsaiga. But then, where was he now? Why hadn't he been with her, protecting her as he swore to do? And whose child was it that she cared for? Surely she was not her own. He would be able to tell by their scents. How had she come across her?

He was intent on discovering the answers to his questions, but when he looked at her from his position beneath the tree he did not think it was appropriate to ask her. There was something in her countenance that told him the subject was closed, that even should he ask, she would not answer. And so he continued thinking, searching for the answers in his own mind.

It occurred to him that she had never finished asking him about why he had saved her life. Each day he expected her to ask him and each day he was left wondering why she didn't. This miko was a mystery to him, surely.

This had been occurring for the past few nights, neither asking or answering each other's queries. And yet they had a comfortable silence. He would almost venture to call it companionable. In truth, he was relieved to be near a female that didn't parade herself in front of him like some prize for him to take. Yes, this miko was rude and yes she was sadly lacking in the knowledge of how one acts near royalty, but she at least did not leech onto him as many others had done before her. She simply accepted him as he was and in turn he felt that he was becoming cursed to accept her as well. He would of course correct her in some areas that needed to be corrected, but that could wait. He in fact did not even know if she would be near him much longer.

Other than her legs, her wounds were healing quickly and efficiently and he wouldn't be surprised if she were to be on her way soon. Perhaps her friends would come and retrieve her. But then that raised yet another question. He wouldn't put it past Inuyasha to abandon someone, but her friends seemed if anything, loyal. Where were they? After having defeated the putrid hanyou Naraku they seemed closer than ever, so why was she alone?

He glimpsed over at her momentarily, realizing that perhaps she was wondering that as well. Perhaps she didn't know why she was alone, why she had been abandoned to her death.

He sighed. This was getting ridiculous. Why should he care? Why should he ponder questions such as these about a miko that he most likely would not see again, let alone as a companion. Perhaps it was guilt. It had happened on his lands, after all, and for reasons unknown to him. He had searched his mind for reasons of the chase as well and had come up short. It didn't matter. It was over with, and no guilt would sway his feelings towards a filthy ningen miko. It was hardly his fault.

"Sesshomaru-sama, can Kagome-chan come stay with Rin?"

He paused, his hands poised above a fish in the stream. He pulled it out deftly, tossing it onto the small pile of trout he'd already collected.

"Why do you ask such a question, Rin?"

"Well," she began, rocking back and forth on her heels, her hands clasped behind her as she stared at the clouds, "she doesn't have anywhere else to go…"

"And why should this concern me?"

"She needs help, Sesshomaru-sama!" Rin gasped at him. "She can't walk by herself and Shippo-chan can't help her…" She sniffed, sitting down now on the bank of the stream, wiping at her eyes. "Rin would feel a lot better if Kagome-chan was home with her."

He sighed, afraid this would happen if Rin was near her too much. She would want to take her home like a stray. And she would use her strange will over him to get it.

"I will propose the invitation to the miko," he consented. Besides, he told himself, the child needs someone to look after her, so that she wouldn't distract him when he was busy. With any other female in charge over her she disappeared, at least with the miko she would want to be near her.

"Rin is so happy!" She stood and grabbed a couple of the fish, squealing at how they flapped about. "Stop it, you! Rin is hungry!" she scolded the trout.

He shook his head as he grasped the last of them and headed towards the camp. He was going to have a rough time ahead of him. Why did he ever agree to this ludicrous arrangement?

"And so Rin thinks you should come live with her!"

Kagome looked down at the girl kneeling beside her, confused.

"But Rin, surely Sesshomaru-sama would not agree to this. I've been enough of a bother already."

"But Sesshomaru-sama has already said yes," she moped.

Kagome stared, her mind flying at a million miles per hour, wondering how that could be possible. He detested humans. And youkai naturally hated mikos, so why would he ever agree to that?

Now the question remained. Would she go with them? All things considered, and considering what had happened, she really did not have anywhere else to go. And she honestly doubted that her legs would magically heal over night. In fact, they were still quite painful. She could barely adjust her position without causing herself more pain. But still, she could not be sure of Sesshomaru's reasoning. He'd never shown her anything but disdain, and had on more than one occasion tried to kill her. Could she trust him?

She watched as Rin ran to Sesshomaru, most likely telling him how her hunt for Kagome was progressing. He looked at her, but only for a second, before replying to whatever Rin had said. She visibly pouted, leaning her head on his shoulder as he was sitting. It surprised Kagome that he didn't push her away. He merely indulged her. Obviously he couldn't hate humans that much if he tolerated and cared for a human child, and a rather talkative one at that.

A cooing sound pulled her attention away, drawing it to the bundle in her arms. She leaned in close to the pup, looking her in the eye.

"What do you think, Haru-chan? Should we go with them?" Of course, she didn't reply. She hadn't expected her to. Sighing, she rubbed her cheek against Haru's. "Do we have any other choice?" She peeked over and saw that Sesshomaru was watching her. Barely perceptible, she nodded, knowing that he would notice.

He bowed his head down to Rin, speaking quietly, and suddenly she was bounding towards them crying happily about her excitement.

"Rin is so happy! Rin will get to play with Kagome-chan every day!" She nearly ran into Kagome, but Sesshomaru was there, holding her by the collar of her kimono.

"Calm yourself Rin. We will leave as soon as you have eaten." She immediately slackened in his hold, an adorable smile on her face as she waited for him to release her.

"Where are we going?" Kagome asked, looking up at Sesshomaru.

"Home."

"Rin, you will sit with Jaken and the fox kit on Ah-Un." As he said this he sat on the ground next to Kagome.

"Okay!" she replied. "Shippo-chan! Come sit with me! Up here!" Kagome watched as Shippo hopped up in front of the little girl, holding on to the Dragon youkai's mane with a death grip.

"Miko." She turned to look at Sesshomaru, wondering why he was sitting, as she unconsciously ran her hand over Haru's hair.

"Yes?"

She was a little surprised when he picked her up in his arms but was completely stunned when he deposited her in his lap. A cloud began to form beneath them, and she began to understand what he was doing, though she still couldn't believe that he was.

"We will travel like this." With that last statement, they rose into the sky, climbing higher and higher. Kagome gasped, closing her eyes and leaning into the fur over his shoulder. She had never particularly cared for heights, and even though she was accustomed to riding Kirara she still could not stop herself from being a little afraid. After all, who was she to say that Sesshomaru wouldn't drop her?

"Fear not. This is the safest and quickest way to travel. I shall not drop you and the pup." In fact, with this statement he looked down at the bundle in her arms and after biting off his nail he smoothed a lock of hair out of her eyes, allowing her to grab a hold of his finger in the process. She pulled it into her mouth, gargling up at him as she gummed it.

Kagome was shocked to say the least. Since when had Sesshomaru been the fatherly type?

She watched his face as he watched Haru. While there were no obvious signs of his affection, she thought she saw a glint of it in his eyes. She looked down at the babe as well and could not help the smile that lit up her face. She looked so content, and was in fact falling asleep with his finger in her mouth. He looked up again at the horizon and Kagome soon felt herself drifting off as well, feeling oddly content with his fur beneath her head and his warm arms around her like a strong brace that she knew would not break.

"Kagome-chan, wake up! Wake up!" She could hear the child's voice in her head, all around her, and knew that she was excited about something. Forcing her eyes open, she glanced at her surroundings. She was still being held by Sesshomaru and they were still in the air. What had Rin been going on about?

"We are nearly at our destination." She perked up, looking forward and down. Coming closer with every second was a large fortress, larger than any she'd ever seen before and she knew without question who it belonged to.

"Whoa," she whistled. The high pitched sound, however, disturbed Haru and she awoke with a vengeance, crying with all of her might. Kagome hadn't been expecting it and tried to rock the little girl back to sleep. Still she cried. She leaned down, rubbing her cheek against hers, all the while making quiet and calming noises to her. Soon she slipped back into her sleep-filled state and Kagome sighed as she leaned back to rest her head.

"How do you know to behave as you do?" came a deep voice from behind her. She could hear it rumbling through his chest from behind her.

"What do you mean?" She tilted her head back to see him.

"You behave as that child's natural mother would have."

"How so?" She was thoroughly confused.

"You nuzzle her."

"Nuzzle?" He sighed, almost inaudibly, and leaned down. She felt the heat rising to her face as he rubbed his cheek against hers, in gentle circles.

He could feel her heart stop momentarily and chuckled to himself as he took a deep breath of her scent. After all, he would need to be able to recognize her scent among so many others in the fortress. Also, by nuzzling her he would be scent-marking her, ensuring her safety as well. Nobody would dare harm someone scent marked by the Lord of the lands.

"What did you-?" He pulled away, his face as emotionless as ever as he looked forward once again.

"I was simply demonstrating for your simple mind."

"Hey, I am not simple!" she whispered angrily, afraid to once again awaken the child.

"Hn."

She huffed in annoyance, nearly missing the smirk that minutely lifted one end of his mouth.


	2. Curiosity and the Cat

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of the other characters sadly…

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Chapter Two: Curiosity and the Cat

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When they finally arrived Sesshomaru flew over the gates and landed in a courtyard, ordering a few of the approaching servants to arrange another set of rooms in the West wing for their guest. He did not explain who or what Kagome was, but they could all tell that she was a miko by her nearly overwhelming aura and they all watched her warily, wondering what his purpose was in bringing her there as they quickly went about their business.

Rin led the way excitedly and Sesshomaru followed behind, carrying Kagome as he stared stoically ahead. Shippo trailed behind Rin, glancing up at his surrogate mother from time to time.

"You shall wait in the garden for now, as your rooms are not yet prepared," Sesshomaru explained, setting her down beneath a large, budding peach tree.

Kagome subconsciously ignored him, instead focusing on the now awaking Haru. She was smiling a little, pleased with the beautiful garden and where she'd been seated.

"I shall go to attend to the more important matters of the land, but I will return as soon as your rooms are ready to receive you."

She nodded barely perceptively, her smile gone as she began digging in the bag that he had just set down beside her. Without a second glance he left, gone before they could blink. The children immediately began to play tag, laughing loudly.

Kagome leaned back as she fed Haru a left over piece of fish from the night before. And once she was sure he was gone she sighed loudly, her serious face falling instantly.

"Why does he have to be so serious, huh Haru?" Haru glanced at her lazily as she gummed her food, acknowledging that Kagome had spoken. "_The important matters of the land_," she mimicked. "We haven't been here for more than five minutes together and he's already focused on work." She looked up into the branches as she lightly rocked the little babe. "We'll have to fix that while we're here, won't we Haru? I mean, sure, I can understand the need for it being the lord of the lands but he could relax once in a while."

"Kagome-chan! Look!" exclaimed Rin, running over with a beautiful potted bonsai tree. "This is Rin's! Sesshomaru-sama gave it to Rin and Rin takes care of it every day!"

"Really? Good job Rin, it's very pretty," she smiled. "Who taught you how to care for it?"

"Sesshomaru-sama of course!" she laughed as she set it down on a stone pedestal near the path. "Kagome-chan is so silly!"

Kagome was surprised at that. He had taught her himself? How very curious. Kagome couldn't help but think a little better of him for it.

"Have you shown Shippo yet? He would like to see it," she suggested seeing her kit chasing a dragonfly nearby. Rin's face lit up and she jumped up to grab the bonsai once again, racing over to show off her treasure.

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"This will be your room," Sesshomaru explained as they entered, being careful not to hit her feet on the frame of the shoji screen. "There are doors connecting your room to that of the kitsune's on the south side and that of Rin's on the north side. My rooms are down at the end of the hall." There was a quiet ringing of a bell at the door, and Sesshomaru called them in.

A young neko demon entered, bowing low at the waist.

"You called for me my lord?" He looked up for a split second at Kagome and then directed his eyes back to the tatami mats beneath his feet.

"Indeed. While I am addressing my personal affairs I require you to look after the miko. She will be needing assistance as she is injured." He turned to the door when the neko straightened, opening it a fraction of the way before turning back.

"For convenience sake you may take your meals here," he offered to Kagome, waiting until she met his eye to continue. "That is until you heal of course. Afterwards I will expect you to join me in the great hall."

"Thank you Sesshomaru-sama," she smiled, hoping that he realized she meant for more than what had just transpired. She would have to find other ways to thank him for taking her in, and Kagome was determined to make it her personal project. She would get him out of his barrier if it took all that she had.

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"So," she began awkwardly. "What's your name?" The neko demon glanced at her from his spot near the door. He sat there as soon as Sesshomaru left, taking his post very seriously.

His green eyes flashed in curiosity before dimming back to their original state.

"His name's Shiroi!" Rin exclaimed from her seat at the table, bouncing a little on her cushion.

"Shiroi?" It meant white.

"Hai, miko-sama." He bowed his white head almost reverently.

"Well, it suits you," she smiled shyly, taking his colors and lack of patterning into note. His hair and tail were of the purest white, his yukata a steely blue-grey.

"I thank you, miko-sama." He bowed his head again.

"Please don't do that," she blushed. "I'm just here to teach Rin-chan. Nothing special."

"You are under the care of Sesshomaru-sama. That alone warrants respect."

"Alright, I'll acknowledge that but no more bowing, please. At least not when it's just us."

"As you wish miko-sama." He sat up straight, once again staring at the tatami mats.

*Hmm,* thought Kagome, *He may be a tough one to crack, but I'll get him to open up, just like Sesshomaru.* She smiled to herself, taking a sip of the tea that had been brought in before them. She had her work cut out for her.

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~~A short chapter, I know, but I think the first one was longer simply because it was the first chapter, the introduction of sorts…^_^ And while I know it may make people unhappy that they're short, it will be easier for me to update more frequently if they're shorter… Anyways, I hope you all enjoyed it! Chapter Three will be coming up next!


	3. An Old Dog and New Tricks

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any other of the characters under that manga series… Sadly… T_T

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Chapter Three: Old Dogs and New Tricks

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"Rin likes having Kagome-chan as her teacher!" exclaimed the child as she proudly looked down on what she'd just scribbled down on the paper. She had successfully written Sesshomaru's name.

"Well, good, I'm glad," Kagome smiled, watching Shippo's progress as well. She'd been teaching him how to write for a while and he knew quite a lot. She was, at the moment, giving him a quiz and watching as he thought, his tongue sticking out the side of his mouth in deep concentration.

"Are you ready Ship?" He wrote the last letter and then looked up at her, his eyes lit in determination.

"Yep!"

"Concentration. _You need good concentration for hunting,_" she gave as an example. He went back to work, focusing on his task.

"Rin likes how Sesshomaru-sama's name looks," she smiled as she looked down at the paper lovingly.

Kagome sensed some movement near the door and looked up to see Sesshomaru himself standing there, observing Rin with a miniscule tilt to his lips. He glanced over at Kagome once before looking once again at his ward. Neither of the children noticed him, Rin because he was out of her peripheral view and Shippo because, as Kagome noticed, Sesshomaru was concealing his aura. Although, she smiled, if Shippo wasn't so intent on his quiz he may have noticed from scent. He had an excellent sense of smell.

"I'm ready for my next word Haha-ue!" Shippo exclaimed.

"Frequency." She didn't get a chance to give him a sentence because Rin was demanding her attention in her own way, tugging on her kimono sleeve.

"Will you teach Rin how to write your name?"

"Of course," she said, taking up her own brush and motioning Rin to edge closer.

Rin watched in fascination as she used quick but clean brush strokes to spell out each letter.

"Now you try it."

Rin frowned as she concentrated, being ever so careful not to drip any ink on her sleeves. When she was finished she held it up, smiling widely as she compared hers to Kagome's.

"Now Rin can write Haha-ue's name too!"

Kagome gasped lightly, a blush staining her cheeks. Had Rin just called her mother? Having realized her mistake, Rin stared blankly at Kagome, her mouth clamped shut and her face red as she waited for Kagome's reaction.

Kagome glanced at Sesshomaru quickly taking in his slightly surprised expression, which was the most she'd ever seen on his face, and looked back to Rin, afraid to hurt the child's feelings by saying the wrong thing or looking away for too long.

Eventually Kagome smiled softly, choosing not to say anything but instead to accept it as it was and continue with what they were doing. It was neither a reproach nor a confirmation. And as much as she loved the little girl she wasn't sure how Sesshomaru would react to it, since Rin was most definitely _his_.

"Very good Rin, now do you remember how to spell Jaken's name?" The little girl's face lit up and she went back to her previous seat, her brush already in the ink bottle.

"Yes and Rin will make him a sign to put on his door!"

When Kagome looked back up to the doorway Sesshomaru was gone.

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"Isn't it nice out?" Kagome asked the taiyoukai that afternoon as she sat on the steps outside of her bedroom's garden entrance, basking in the sunlight that filtered through the trees and into the yard. Only the rooms in the west wing had free access to the gardens and now she knew why. It was one of the only peaceful places in the fortress.

He gave no reply as he sat nearby, one step up, and watched the children as they played among the flowers. His eyes particularly focused on Rin. Kagome noticed.

"She adores you, you know," she mumbled. "I could always tell that, from the beginning." She glanced back up at him, noticing his expression never changed. He might not have even been listening for all that she knew. She frowned, a little irritated that she was being ignored.

They sat in silence once again for what could have been hours before he chose to reply.

"While I see that she enjoys my presence and does not fear me as she should, I cannot discern how it is that she _does_ view me."

It took Kagome a moment to realize that he had spoken, because he'd spoken so softly, and also because she was not expecting it. In fact, her mind had already wandered elsewhere. Now it flew at a million miles per hour to come up with an answer.

"Are you worried that maybe she does not think of you in a paternal sense?"

"Hn," came his reply. She leaned back a little, once again turning forward to watch the children as she thought.

"I don't think you have anything to worry about in that sense," she began. "She relies on you to protect her and feed her and she becomes incredibly excited when she knows that you're coming to see her." He leaned forward, his elbows on his knees as he thought it over. "If anything I think she may just be unsure of how you'd react if she said anything." He nodded minutely. "Perhaps if you were more affectionate with her outwardly it would give her the courage." All was silent then for a time save for Rin who squealed in delight as she "tagged" Shippo.

"I shall take what you say into account." He stood, stepping off of the steps and into the garden. As he passed by to head to his rooms, Rin stopped dead in her tracks, looking up at him expectantly. He looked down at her for a moment before placing his hand on her head and continuing on his way. Kagome watched as her face lit up before she continued to play with the kitsune. She was immensely proud of the small personal leap he'd just made. For Rin that was perhaps the first piece of deliberate contact from her "father" and while it was just a pat on the head it was certainly better than nothing.

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~~Hope you all liked this chappie! Again, I know it's short but I can update faster this way and it feels like I can put more content into the chapters like this instead of filling in all of the boring details. And don't worry, I'll get to revealing what happened to the Inu-tachi eventually as well as how Kags got Haru…All in due time! Kags isn't ready to reveal it just yet… ^_^ And let's just assume that Haru is down for a nap nearby at this time…lol…anyways, that's all for now, will update soon!


	4. Leaps and Bounds

Disclaimer: Inuyasha and all of it's characters belong to Rumiko Takahashi, I believe…

Chapter 4: Leaps and Bounds

Sweat ran down her face as she slept, tossing and turning fitfully on her futon. Her mind was filled with images, images from her not so distant past that she would prefer to forget. But luck was not with her, it was intent on reminding her how she got to be where she was.

Silence greeted her that night when she woke from her sleep. They were camping out in a clearing, just over the border of the western lands, and Inuyasha had oddly enough agreed to rest earlier than usual that day. He had of course disappeared as soon as they'd gotten a fire going. That was typical. Kagome understood why.

What she hadn't expected when she awoke was to find herself and Shippo completely alone. She looked all around the camp, eyeing their rumpled bedding and glancing back down at the kit lying beside her. Where had everyone gone off to? Gently, she woke the kit, picking him up to cuddle in her arms as she stood.

"What is it Haha-ue?" he mumbled, rubbing his eyes with his tiny fists.

"They're gone," she muttered quietly, almost afraid to speak too loudly. Something felt off.

Shippo looked around as well then, his nose sniffing experimentally.

"I can't smell Sango or Miroku or Kilala…," he began. "Not anywhere near here…But I can smell Inuyasha."

"Will you take me to him? I don't care if he's with Kikyo, If Sango and Miroku are gone I'll need his help to find them. I'm worried about them."

Shippo jumped down out of her arms, quickly leading the way through the brush, but not before Kagome could shoulder her hideously yellow backpack.

Soon enough they came near a clearing. Kagome stopped though as soon as she heard the screams of agony surrounding her and bouncing off of the trees. Her blood ran cold. She could also hear a familiar near-roaring; a malicious growling that echoed in her ears. It was Inuyasha. And if her suspicions were correct, his demon had taken over.

She quickly ran to the clearing, avoiding the trees and branches that were in the way. She had to do something. But what she saw before her would quickly make her regret her actions.

Several demon bodies littered the ground, pieces of them scattered here and there. Inuyasha was among them, taking the life of yet another right before her eyes, his red eyes feral. Thankfully he hadn't noticed her yet. She gagged at the sight.

Clamping a hand over her mouth she looked around, searching for any possible survivors, and seeing none. A high keening wail soon grabbed her attention though. She looked over towards the bushes somewhat nearby and saw a youkai woman's body laying before it, her blood sprayed everywhere, her dark hair falling like a halo about her pale face. But Kagome soon realized why that woman was further away from the others. She had had something to hide, something to protect. Inuyasha seemed to realize it as soon as she did. He stalked towards the bush like a hunter stalking it's weak prey.

Her eyes widened in disbelief. She could not let him kill another. She bolted towards him, knowing that she could not make it to the babe before him. He turned, surprise written all over his face before it turned to anger. He flashed his claws at her, growling ferociously. Feeling threatened, he took a swipe at her. She cried out as she fell backwards, his bloodied claws scraping her forearm. She shrieked, unable to help the panic that filled her. She had seen Inuyasha when possessed by his inner demon before but it still made it difficult to see him that way. Especially after seeing him kill his own kind so savagely. How could she possibly stop this?

He jumped at her, his fangs glistening with saliva at the prospect of yet another prey. She twisted out of the way, shouting "Osuwari!" as she clambered to her feet. He shot face first into the ground, roaring fiercely in protest, his hands scrambling to reach her from his spot. She ran to the bush quickly, grabbing the bundle into her arms and calling Shippo to her, hoping he'd come before the spell wore off. She didn't want to hurt Inuyasha any more when he was in that state. He didn't know what he was doing, right? The kit ran to her from his hiding spot, whimpering as he came, and she immediately erected a barrier. Inuyasha squirmed in his spot, pushing the limits of the spell to the brink. Afraid at how franticly he wanted to get to her, she cried the spell out again and again and again until he fell unconscious into the pit he'd dug out.

She sighed in relief, panicked tears running down her face. At least now she could get a moment to think. She nearly sank to her knees, feeling exhausted as if she'd never slept. She pat the kit on the head with her free hand, looking down at the bundle in her arms in slight confusion. She would figure out what to do about that later. First she'd have to find his sword, wherever it had gone off to.

Just as she was about to begin the search, Shippo stiffened on her shoulder.

"Kagome. Wolves." She froze. They must have smelt the blood. And now they were coming for a meal.

"Shit! Come on Shippo! We have to get out of here fast!" She grabbed him with her other arm, pulling him down in front of her and bolting out of the clearing. She needed to put as much distance between her and them as possible. And while she was worried about Inuyasha, he could take care of himself. He wouldn't die that easily, but she would and so she had to run.

She ran harder than she'd ever run before, her lungs burning for air.

She bolted upright, panting in her fear, sweat and tears pouring down her face. Quickly she sealed her scent, hiding it from the others in the fortress if they hadn't smelled it already. She didn't need any of them knowing of her distress. It was unnecessary.

Slowly, she dragged herself off of her futon, her blankets having already been thrown off of her in her sleep. It was tedious, and a little painful, but she finally managed to get herself to the door to the garden, sliding open the shoji screen just enough to let in a cool breeze. She leaned heavily on the door frame, breathing in deeply the calming floral scent. The dream had set her on edge and she knew her nerves were fried from all of the stress. She could not do anything about it, no more than she could control the tears that freely rolled down her face. It was more out of fear than anything. She knew she was safe there, in the Western fortress, but it did not help at all with the memories. They plagued her mind when she slept, and more so that night. It seemed to her that the better the day she had, the more vivid her dreams became. She could hear the howls, feel a shiver of panic at the sound, and cringe knowing that they were getting nearer and nearer with every frantic step she took.

She breathed in slowly through her nose, shuddering as she did so. The breeze was cool, but refreshing. Coming to a decision, She chose not to tell Sesshomaru of what had occurred. It was hard enough seeing it in her mind on a regular basis; she didn't honestly know if she could handle speaking of it out loud. And what's more, she didn't know how he'd respond, what he'd do if he found out about what Inuyasha had done. Would he be angry? Or would he be happy, having finally lost what he considered to be his imbecilic half-brother? Kagome tried valiantly to put a stop to the questions that ran through her head, but every day she couldn't help but wonder what had happened to her friends. Why weren't they there? Why would they have left without so much as a goodbye if they knew of the dangers? Were they, or Inuyasha, alive?

With one last sigh she laid down in the doorway, letting her exhausted mind drift to darkness once more.

Kagome smiled contentedly as she watched the children in their daily lessons. Rin was learning in leaps and bounds, taking after Shippo in his earnestness. She was a very bright girl and it made Kagome happy to see her put her mind to work so eagerly.

That day she had asked them to draw something from their memories, something that made them happy. Glancing over at Shippo she noticed that he was drawing the day that the Inu-tachi had spent at the river. There was a lot of splashing involved and of course hentai remarks from the houshi in regards to the ladies' swimming suits, but all in all it was a very fun and relaxing day. Probably one of the first in a long, long while. He frowned as he tried to draw the patterns in the different swimsuits as he remembered them. Kagome's was a bright blue with light blue polk-a-dots.

Turning over to her left, she glanced at Rin's picture. What she saw made her smile. She was drawing a picture of herself and Sesshomaru, the day he had patted her on the head. In the picture Rin had a huge smile spreading across her face and she was hugging Sesshomaru around the waist. She giggled a little, seeing that Jaken and Ah-un were scribbled in on the sides for good measure.

"Very nice job Rin," she acknowledged to the little girl.

Rin didn't look up, concentrating on drawing Sesshomaru's hair perfectly. It was so shiny and smooth that she had to make sure it was done correctly. Of course.

"You look very happy in your picture," Kagome murmured, wondering how the child would respond.

"Mm hm," she mumbled. "Rin _was_ very happy! Sesshomaru-sama doesn't pat Rin on the head very often, and it makes her happy when he does."

After a moment she stopped drawing, her crayon being set aside. "Is Rin a bad girl Kagome-chan?"

"What?" She couldn't help but be surprised.

"It's just that, Rin tries to be very good but Sesshomaru-sama never notices when Rin is good. She does everything that he tells her to, because she wants to, but he never smiles at Rin." She played with the crayon, picking at the paper wrapped around it. "He takes care of me like Rin's Otosan did but what if Sesshomaru-sama is angry with Rin?" She looked up at Kagome, tears forming in her eyes. "Will he leave Rin like Rin's Otosan did?" Shocked at how quickly Rin became upset, she wrapped her arms around her and pulled her into her lap, rubbing her back in gentle circles as the little girl cried.

"Oh Rin, Sesshomaru-sama loves you. You know that," she pulled back to see her face. "Don't you? He just doesn't know how to show it."

Her big brown eyes lit up a little. "Really?"

"Mm hm, and I think that if you just be patient with him and hug him whenever you can he'll come around." She smiled down at Rin and watched as her eyebrows rose.

"Just hug Sesshomaru-sama?"

"Mm-hm!"

"Will he let Rin?"

"Of course! And you know," Kagome whispered conspiratorially, pressing the tip of her nose to Rin's, "I bet if you call him Otosan he'd be really happy." Her eyes widened significantly. Just as she was about to speak, Kagome sat up straight, sensing someone else in the room.

She looked up to see Sesshomaru in the doorway, a slightly worried expression on his face. His eyes were on Rin, and as soon as he realized that she was fine, he calmed visibly. His ever stoic expression returned and he placed his hands in his sleeves.

"What has happened, Miko?" She smiled meekly up at him.

"Rin's alright Sesshomaru-sama," she said, "No need to worry. She isn't hurt."

"Hn." Rin crawled out of Kagome's lap, slowly making her way to the lord. When she reached him she wrapped her arms around his waist, pressing her face into his haori. He stiffened for a moment as he looked down at the little girl before putting a hand around her shoulder.

"Thank you for worrying about me…Otosan."

Kagome watched as his eyes visibly widened in obvious surprise. She couldn't help but smile at the expression on his face. He seemed frozen, not knowing how to react.

Rin pulled away, content that he didn't reproach her when she called him what she'd always wanted to call him. Smiling as brightly as ever, she grabbed his hand and pulled him over to the low set table, already telling him about what she'd been drawing. She pulled him down to sit, crawling into his lap as she pulled the picture onto her own lap and explained every detail of it including how much time she'd spent on his lovely hair and what color of green she thought was perfect for Jaken.

Throughout all of this he remained silent but when Kagome glanced up at him she caught his eye. He stared at her blankly for a moment before a small smile graced his lips and he turned back to what Rin was showing him. Indeed Rin was learning in leaps and bounds.

~~M'kay! Hopefully you guys liked this chappie, and hopefully now most of it makes sense! ^_^ If it doesn't it will make more sense as it progresses. I can't, of course, reveal everything so soon… XD Anyways, I'll get on the next chappie! R&R!


	5. Knowledge and Growth Spurts

**~~Hey guys! ^_^ Back again for chapter Five! Yays! I kow it's been a while, I've been busy and I didn't think it would get this far honestly…Was worried that I wouldn't be able to think of a plot…But I've got most of one now, so yippee! Anyways…. I feel reallllly stupid…when I was writing this story I was using Japanese words from memory…I wasn't 100% sure on what 'father' was but I wrote it anyways, even though my Japanese book was probably five feet away. Yeah, stupid of me, but I've corrected it now, so hopefully it sounds better… **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of it's characters…**

**Chapter Five:**

**Sesshomaru paced his study, his brow almost inaudibly wrinkled in concentration. He had a decision before him now, a decision that would change everything. If he chose to do it she would be his, but the reaction of his fortress and people as well as the other lords could be fatal. But if he didn't do it she would remain unprotected, in a way. And that was something that he couldn't allow.**

**Turning to sit at his desk, he called in a servant. **

"**Bring the girl to me," he ordered as he assessed some of his paperwork. As they turned to leave he sighed faintly, his decision made. **

**Moments later his door was opened and Rin was ushered forward, a large grin on her face as always. **

"**Ohayo!" He couldn't help but smile. **

"**Ohayo Rin." He came back around his desk, motioning for her to sit as he sat beside her. "I have a proposition for you Rin," he began slowly, wanting to be certain that she understood everything he was about to tell her. "You see me as your Otosan, am I correct?"**

**She smiled wider in response.**

"**Hai! Sesshomaru-sama takes care of Rin like an Otosan does!"**

"**And in my mind you are my child, although you are not of my own creating."**

**Her smile grew brighter if possible. **

"**Now, there is a way, should you wish it," he added. ",that you could be truly my own child. Physically you still will not be of me but you will have my blood, and my life-line." He paused, waiting for a refusal of any kind. When none came he continued. "This is something that I would wish to do in order to keep you as my child as well as to ensure your protection. Would you consent to this?"**

**She frowned as she thought and for a moment he thought that she'd refuse. **

"**So Sesshomaru-sama would be Rin's true Otosan?"**

"**Yes."**

"**Then I will gladly consent," she said slowly, formally repeating his words, afraid that she would say something wrong. **

"**Very well," he smiled. "I shall notify you later of when it shall be done. We will ask the Miko if she will act as witness."**

**Rin was positively glowing as she threw her arms around Sesshomaru, nearly pushing him over in her happiness and his surprise. She snuggled into his Moko-moko, sighing in contentment. It wasn't long before she fell asleep and Sesshomaru indulged her, carrying her as he moved back to his chair, working on the last of his papers as she continued to doze against his pelt. **

**Kagome sighed as she poured over the books and scrolls before her. There was just SO MUCH! She closed yet another book, moving on to another entitled 'Kitsune lifestyles and habits'. **

**After Sesshomaru formally made Rin his blood daughter she began to wonder if she could do the same with Shippo and Haru. Honestly, she'd never thought of it before; didn't even know it could be done. But apparently when youkai were involved it was a possibility. **

**She leaned her cheek in her palm, reading about the traits of kitsune as she rocked Haru in her arms gently. The little one was taking her afternoon nap and was heedless of what was going on around her. She gurgled softly in her sleep, making Kagome smile as she read. She had figured it would be best to know as much about kitsune as possible. That way she'd know best how to care for him. She'd already read up on Inu youkai. **

**There was a slight knock on the door and Kagome mumbled a gentle "Come in" as she continued to read. From the quiet aura coming from the youkai on the other side she was guessing it was a servant, bringing her tea. She had quickly become accustomed to the ways of the place and nothing much surprised her. And besides, she had Shiroi to guard her, even if he was miserable company. **

**The maid quickly and quietly entered, bringing in a tray with tea and some small sweets to munch on before bustling out just as she came. Kagome glanced up at the tray, tempted to snack on a piece of sakura mochi but as soon as she was about to grab a piece Haru woke up. She grabbed onto Kagome's kimono sleeve, stuffing a corner of it into her mouth as she blinked drowsily. **

"**I suppose you're hungry, hmm?" she smiled at the child. Haru's only response was to dig her eye teeth into the fabric, almost glaring at it and its inappropriateness as food. Her eyes began to tear up and Kagome could already hear her hungry sobs. **

"**Shiroi, could you fetch a maid please? Haru is hungry." He didn't reply as he stood from his spot near the door and left the room momentarily. **

**A soft whimper was heard and she looked back down at Haru, giving her hand for her to grip onto. **

"**Good afternoon to you too little one," she grinned. She'd learned that a whimper can mean a few different things; It could be considered a friendly greeting or submissiveness, but Kagome knew what Haru meant by it. The adorable smile on her face was enough of an explanation. **

**The little one's expression turned sour for a moment as her face scrunched up in what appeared to be concentration. She began squirming in Kagome's hold and so she set her down on the rug beside her, on her hands and knees. Kagome was used to her crawling about by now, and just watched from her seat on the floor as the child scurried towards the door. Shiroi watched her as well, wondering what had gotten into her all of a sudden. Just as he was about to grab the runt there was a knock on the door yet again. His eyebrows rose in surprise. Hm. **

"**Haru, come here," called Kagome, not at all surprised when the pup obeyed. She was a **_**very**_** intelligent child. She reached for her as she came near and Shiroi opened the door to retrieve the food from the servant. Bringing it over, he eyed the pup with a slightly suspicious look. If he didn't know any better he'd think she knew her food was coming. **

**Kagome delicately picked up a small piece of red meat, giving it to Haru who quickly stuffed it into her awaiting mouth. She quickly chewed and swallowed it, opening her mouth and flinging out her hands for another piece for which she was obliged. **

"**Slow down little piggy," giggled Kagome. "That tummy of yours will burst if you gorge yourself much more."**

"**She will stop when she has had her fill," claimed a somber Sesshomaru as he entered the room. "Few of the nobler youkai gorge themselves. It is normally a trait that only the lesser retain." **

**She nodded slowly, taking in this little tidbit. **

"**Ouch!" Kagome glanced down quickly at Haru. The munchkin had bit her. **

"**Now now, that's no way to treat the hand that feeds you," she scolded gently. **

**Haru whined her apology, pulling her tiny hands close to her face. **

"**Oh, there, there my sweet pea," Kagome hummed. "It's alright. No harm done." She continued to feed Haru as Sesshomaru took a seat at her table, glancing at the reading material before him. **

"**Kitsune," he said quietly, almost a question. "First Inu youkai and now Kitsune. Soon you shall be an expert on all of our habits and ways of life," he teased. "For what reasons do you study these? Is it merely curiosity?" Truthfully, he was curious himself. About her. **

"**Partly. But also because I was hoping to formally adopt Shippo and Haru as my own."**

"**Indeed," came his surprised reply. "As a miko it may be possible. But there are many aspects that go into it; part of it being a strong soul." He said the last part slowly, and she knew what he was hinting at. She was not in possession of her entire soul. **

"**Is it necessary?"**

"**Yes. The entirety of it must accept the children. If even a sliver of it does not, the bond will fail. Taking into consideration who it is that holds the rest, I do believe it would fail." **

**Kagome sighed, resting her forehead on the table, curling around Haru who giggled at what she thought was something akin to peek-a-boo.**

"**Then I cannot." **

"**Perhaps something can be done about the dead miko," offered Sesshomaru. **

**She lifted her head in amusement. **

"**Are you offering to have Kikyo murdered?"**

"**Hn. Perhaps." He held his nails up before him, examining them. "I may just enjoy doing the deed myself."**

**She couldn't help but laugh outright as she fed Haru a bit more.**

"**That won't be necessary. I would feel too guilty if I let you."**

"**Hn. The offer remains. Be sure to find me if you change your mind." He stood from the table, heading out the screen door behind her into the gardens. She couldn't help but laugh a little, despite how morbid his jokes were.**

"**Oh, if only it were that easy."**

**Kagome shrieked in panic, holding a sweltering hot, writhing Haru in her arms as she thrashed about. Her pained wails bounced off the paper thin walls of her room. **

"**Haru! Haru what's wrong?" The child paid her no heed, but instead shrieked louder as she squirmed. It made her ears ring painfully. And to make matters worse, the child's aura was fluctuating and Kagome had no idea what was happening. She hadn't read anything about illnesses in youkai. **

**The screen was thrown open and Sesshomaru bolted inside, his eyes slightly widened. However, once he took in the sight before him he visibly relaxed.**

"**Sesshomaru-sama what is happening? What's wrong with her?" she cried over the incessant wailing.**

**He stalked forward and grabbed the child and cradled her in the crook of his arm, a deep thrumming filling the room. He continued to make the soothing sound until she quieted a little, knowing it would not help it much. **

"**She is having a growth spurt. She is due it would seem."**

"**Wait. A growth spurt? That's all it is?"**

"**Hn. When youkai children have growth spurts it can be quite painful. Instead of their bodies taking years to grow, as in ningen children, their growths tend to be quite spontaneous and quick. It is a bit of a readjustment for their bodies. It is not pleasant to experience."**

**Kagome sat on her futon, her mind spinning.**

"**But why grow so quickly? Youkai live longer than ningen anyways, don't they?"**

**He didn't reply for a moment as he rocked her, pleased that she was quieting. **

"**While youkai do live longer than ningen, their chances of surviving that long tend to be much smaller. In Inu-youkai this is especially a problem, given how very few and far between offspring are for them. They have quicker growth spurts because the faster that they grow, the greater their chances of living are. It is a matter of survival."**

"**I guess that makes sense," she murmured, awed at how much calmer Haru was, even though she did still wriggle and writhe about. The sound he was making was even making her drowsy. She soon found her head lolling to the side, feeling incredibly exhausted. It was about four in the morning, after all.**

"**Sleep, Miko. I shall watch the child. Having a strong youkai aura around her will aid and soothe her."**

"**Alright," she mumbled as she cuddled into her pillow. Shippo, who had somehow managed to stay asleep during the entire ordeal, cuddled in close to her side.**

"**Night'." **

"**Hn."**

**A/N: I know it's short, but something's better than nothing, yes? I think this story's more than likely gonna be a bunch of short chapters, basically just what I manage to write in my spare time when I'm not focused on 'Pack', since that one is my favorite at the moment and I like how it's turning out…If I DO manage to get this one into the swing of things I will write longer chapters, just don't want to get anyone's hopes up in regards to length! XD Anyways, enjoy guys! **


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